This invention relates to paintball containers.
Current containers for paintballs typically store up to 150 paintballs and have a lid that snap fits upon a rim at an open end of the container body. The body can be a one-piece moulding or can be formed as a cylindrical tube with a collar around the top which forms the top end of the body and engages with the lid. The lid has a tab projecting from its edge to aid a player in opening the container, typically by engaging the tab with their thumb and pushing the lid away from the body.
Modern paintball harnesses are arranged to hold a number of such paintball containers around a player""s waist. The containers are typically held in the harness by elastic hoops with the containers"" lids pointing towards the ground. This allows the player to grab a container of paintballs, pull it downwards out of the harness, and open it quickly, usually in a single movement, and usually using only one hand because the other hand is still being used to hold the paintball gun or marker. The harness sometimes includes an overstrap that covers the lid and supports the container, when the container is held in the harness, the overstrap being fastened, for example, with Velcro. In some harnesses the containers are retained horizontally with their upper ends pointing outwards to the player""s side.
Upon removal of the container from the harness the player""s hand tends to drive the container further into the harness prior to removing it therefrom, even when the harness does not hold the containers with their lids facing the ground. The tab on the lid can catch on the harness and separating the lid from the body such that the container is, at least partially, open. This premature opening of the container often results in the paintballs stored in the container being dropped onto the ground, which is clearly undesirable.
A further problem associated with current paintball containers is that, because the player is only using one hand, in order to open them it is necessary to support the container, typically against the player""s body. The force necessary to open the container then tends to push the container out of the player""s grip due to the bulky nature of the container, typically 60 mm diameter. This problem is exacerbated by the use of protective gloves by players.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide a paintball container that, at least partially, ameliorates at least one of the aforementioned problems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a paintball container comprising a body, a lid, and a hinge connecting the lid to the body. When the container is in a closed condition the lid is arranged to engage with the body to close the container. The container includes release means positioned substantially opposite the hinge to enable opening of the container, and the body has a guard protruding therefrom, the guard being substantially opposite the hinge so that, with the lid in the closed condition, the guard is adjacent at least part of the release means, thereby being arranged to direct a foreign body travelling longitudinally over the body towards the lid past the release means to prevent unintentional opening of the container.
Where the container is of a circular cross section, the release means and the guard may be exactly diametrically opposite the hinge, or offset from that position, preferably being in any position up to 30xc2x0 to either side of diametrically opposite. However, for the user to be able to open the container, the guard and release member only need to be on the opposite side of the container to the hinge. In some cases the container can include two release means and two guards both positioned on the opposite side of the container to the hinge.
This arrangement has an advantage over prior art arrangements, in that the guard guides or deflects potential snags away from the release means without them engaging the release means and thereby opening the container and allowing any paintballs stored therein to be expelled over the ground.
Preferably the container has defined therein a recess arranged to accommodate a user""s digit, wherein the guard, at least partially, bounds the recess. Preferably the release member is located in the recess. This allows easy release of the lid by the user.
The release means may be formed on the body.
Preferably the container comprises a catch for holding the lid in the closed condition, and the release means is arranged to release the catch. This arrangement has the additional benefit that it is removes the necessity to push a tab upward thereby eliminating the tendency of the container to move away from the user as they open the container, typically with gloved hands.
Preferably the release means is formed integrally with the body. For example, the release means may be formed as part of the body by means of at least one slot through the body, the slot being arranged to allow movement of said a part. Said part may have a lip at a free end thereof, and the lid may have a slot therein, the lip being arranged to releasably engage in the slot when the lid is in the closed condition.
Preferably said part is resiliently deformable and is arranged to disengage the lip from the slot upon being deformed.
Alternatively the release means may comprise a part of the lid arranged to be engaged by the user""s digit so as to urge the lid away from the body, to open the container. For example the release means may comprise a tab formed on the lid.
Preferably the guard extends, and tapers inwardly, away from the lid when the lid is in the closed condition. This can help to deflect objects away from the release means.
The present invention further provides a paintball container comprising a body, a lid movable relative to the body to open the container, a hinge connecting the lid to the body, and a release means positioned substantially opposite the hinge and operable to release the lid from the body to allow opening of the container, wherein the container further comprises a guard, the guard being positioned substantially opposite the hinge and arranged so as to deflect a foreign body, travelling over the body towards the lid, past the release means to prevent unintentional opening of the container.
The present invention still further provides a paintball container comprising a body, a lid movable relative to the body between a closed position and an open position, a hinge connecting the lid to the body, and release means positioned substantially opposite the hinge and operable to release the lid from the body to allow movement of the lid to the open position, wherein the container includes a guard, the guard being located adjacent the release means and projecting from the container at least as far as the release means so as to guard the release means from unintentional operation.
The present invention yet further provides a paintball container comprising a body, a lid releasably securable in a closed position on the body, and a release means operable to release the lid from the body to allow opening of the container, wherein the container includes a guard, the guard being aligned with the release means and projecting from the container at least as far as the release means so as to guard the release means from unintentional operation.
The body may be a one-piece body, or it may be a two-piece body which comprises a tubular portion and a collar. In the case of a two-piece body, the guard may be formed by the collar.
There may be only one release means and one guard, or there may be two or more release means.
The present invention yet further provides a method of storing a paintball including placing the paintball in a container according to the invention.